Open Letter to the President of the ICA

Circassian Repatriation Organization

Canada
Tel.: 1-519-590-7817
Email: info@croworld.org
URL: www.CROWorld.org

Feb. 9th, 2020

Mr. Khauti Sokhrokov
The President of the International Circassian Association (ICA)
Nalchik, The Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, The Russian Federation

Open Letter to the President of the ICA

Dear Mr. Sokhrokov,

    The CRO would like to congratulate you on your appointment to the working group who will be reviewing and recommending the amendments of the Constitution of the Russian Federation (Presidential Decree Dated Jan. 15, 2020). The CRO perceived your appointment to this important working group in your legal capacity as the president of the International Circassian Association (ICA), and as the representative of Circassian in diaspora, as an important and positive step in the right direction.

    The CRO believes that your appointment is intended to officially initiate the recognition of the right of return to all Circassians who live abroad. A legislation in the new constitution that recognizes Circassians who live in diaspora as Russian citizens and grants them an easy access to the Russian Federation and easy steps to grant them citizenship is crucial and vital. Based on the State Policy of the Russian Federation towards compatriots abroad, Circassians should be able to choose the Russian Federation as a home if they intend to. It is very
critical that the implementation of this right be clarified and simplified in the new constitution. One of the most important objectives of the ICA is achieving the right of return to all Circassians who live abroad and your role and responsibility as the president of the ICA is to sincerely work on achieving these goals and objectives.

    It is important that you highlight that the returning Circassians will bring with them the diversity and economical breadth that will further strengthen the Russian Federation’s economy. We sincerely believe that any step taken by the Russian Federation’s Government in facilitating the return of Circassian compatriots to their motherland will be in the benefit of the Russian Federation as well as the Circassian people. Therefore, we do advise you to share these believes with other committee members of the constitution amendment work group to fulfill their honorable duty and address this important issue. The CRO believes that this historical breakthrough can be done through serious commitment and sincere work by yourself as a head of the ICA.

   The CRO wishes the committee a constructive work with rewarding results that will benefit both Circassians and the Russian Federation in General.

Best regards,
The Board of Executives of the CRO